Just A Smile
by lipstickdisaster
Summary: It’s just a smile. Not a kiss, but a smile. But that smile is worth more than any kiss is. It stands for his happiness and me knowing I really did the right thing. Breaking up with him was hard, but she deserves him. And frankly, just a smile is enough.


_**Just A Smile**_

Have you ever felt like you're torn? Torn between good and bad? Have you ever felt like having a dilemma you can't solve on your own?

Well, I'm having that at the moment.

* * *

Every morning it's the same routine. It all seems perfect. A little too perfect maybe.

I come into the school and boys all over the place look at me. Boys I don't care about. Teenage boys are pigs. Period. Except him. Maybe.

Him. The guy all the girls fawn over. The guy who brought East High to victory a few times in a row. The guy who was the first sophomore to become the Wildcat basketball captain. The guy with the most amazing voice to graze the East High drama club since Ryan Evans. The guy who will help you up as you fall, as others just look at you and laugh. The guy with the amazing, piercing blue eyes. The guy who always flips his trade mark bangs out of his face, making girls swoon.

He's the perfect guy. The guy I fell for. My boyfriend.

After I come in, I walk over to my locker. I pick up my Chemistry and English books and close it, before resting my back against it and holding the books to my chest. Like a nerd or a freshman. An insecure one. But trust me, I'm not.

Then the doors open again and it's the turn for all the girls to stare. He walks in.

He walks over to his locker and picks up his gym bag. Then he looks over to me and blue locks on green.

He smiles a goofy grin and I feel my knees becoming weak. He starts walking over to me and smiles as he stops at my locker, turning his body fully to me.

His lips land on mine. His tongue slips into my mouth and I smile and bring my arms up around his neck. His kisses are wonderful. Simply wonderful.

He pulls away and rests his forehead against mine. I feel myself melt.

"Hi," he whispers and pecks my lips again.

I smile back, "Good morning."

He kisses me again and pushes me up against the lockers. I giggle and return the kiss, before he pulls away. I close my eyes in disappointment.

"We have to go to homeroom," he says, seeing my face. I groan and he laughs.

"Can't we just skip it?" I ask and give him my best puppy look. He gives me a look and I know what the answer is. It's the same as always. The answer I don't want. _No._

I roll my eyes and take his hand as I start to walk off to homeroom. He follows me, but not before looking at her standing at her locker. He thinks I don't notice, but I do. I wished I didn't, but I notice.

Her. The girl who used to be invisible. The girl who changed the status quo at East High. The girl who took East High to the first Scholastic Decathlon victory. The girl who could beat out Sharpay Evans for singing and acting any day. The girl who always has advice when you have a problem. The girl who had the bright, brown eyes that were often compared to Bambi. The girl with the black curls, that fell perfectly over her face.

The 'beauty and brains'. The freaky math girl. The girl who every one would remember. Especially my boyfriend.

* * *

See, this is where my dilemma comes in. My boyfriend is not in love with me. Not how I'm in love with him. Not how Chad Danforth is in love with Taylor McKessie. Not how he's in love with the freaky math girl.

It had all started with the Christmas break, when my grandma took us to New York for Christmas and he would go to Colorado with his parents.

He came back and was another person. He wasn't the dull and solemn basketball guy anymore. He was bright and full of life. I knew something had happened. I just didn't expect it to be in the form of a girl.

The first day back to school, this new girl stepped into class. Grandma clothes, a shy look on her face, totally focused on her papers. A total brainiac. But somehow she captured his attention.

That night I – accidentally – looked through his contact list. He had her number saved. I thought they had swapped at school. Until I saw in the picture she was wearing a different outfit. It was dark and snowflakes lay in her raven locks. There was only one way to explain it: they had met in Colorado.

Then everything went fast. I noticed that they were talking and hanging out a lot. I didn't become suspicious. They were just friends, I told myself. Until the day everything came crumbling down. His name was on the call-back sheet for the Twinkle Towne auditions. Next to hers.

Several attempts were done to stop it. From sneaky 'confessions' to changing days for the call-backs. But in the end, there was a 'happy ending'. They performed together and damn, was their chemistry evident. I knew I wasn't number one anymore.

I didn't pay attention to him at the victory celebration, but I'm sure he had tried to kiss her. Once. Or twice. Or thrice. It didn't matter to me, I told myself. But then I realized I was in love with him.

It all went further down hill from there, really.

Now, as I'm sitting on my bed, and looking at the picture on my night stand, the picture taken on the faithful night of our first date, I suddenly realize something.

The way she looks back at him, blushes as he kisses her cheek, laughs at his lame jokes, it's all clear to me.

She loves him back. More than I ever loved or will love him.

And now I know: I have to do something.

* * *

"Hey!" I call out as I run after her. She turns around and her brown eyes widen as I stand in front of her.

"Sarah?" she asks, perplexed, "Sarah Adams?"

I smirk, "The one and only."

She looks down nervously and asks, "What do you want?"

I smile, trying to make her comfortable. I know why she's nervous around me. We're from different worlds. I'm the most popular girl in school. She's the freaky math girl. I'm a part of his basketball life. She's a part of his drama life.

"Just getting something across," I simply answer. I see that she's confused, before realization dawns on her. I practically see his reflection in her eyes.

"Look, Sarah, I'm not dating him behind your back. I'm not that kind of girl. And I'm sure he's not that kind of guy. He loves you."

I scoff, "Sure he does. Does he always talk about me when he's with you?"

"Occasionally."

"Does he look at me like he wants to grab me by the face and kiss me forever?"

"Well, no, bu-"

"Do we look like we're going to be end up married?"

Her eyes widen at that one, "N-"

"See? He doesn't love me. Sure he talks about me when he's with you occasionally, but if there's one thing that always comes to mind in _our _conversations, it's you. He looks at you like he wants to kiss you forever. I see it in his eyes. I feel it in his kisses." I see her wince when I mention he always kisses me. "And can I be honest with you?"

She bits her lip – something that drives him crazy, it seems – and nods, her eyes full of fear for my next statement. "I definitely see a future for the two of you. How much I hate to admit, you guys are meant to be. You are lucky to have found something like this in your teenage years. I don't want to stay in the way of your luck. I really don't. You can have him all you want. It's what's right."

As I utter those words, I wipe the fallen tears from my eyes and start to walk to my car. Suddenly her high voice calls out for me, just like I called out for her just a few minutes ago.

"Hey!" she calls and I turn around, wiping more tears. "Sarah!"

She walks over to me and unexpectedly pulls me into a hug. A hug you only get from real friends. She smiles as she lets go.

"Thank you," she whispers. I smile back and nod goodbye.

As I walk off, I sigh in relief. I know what I did was right.

* * *

A few weeks, later, the routine has changed.

I still walk into the school and those pigs still look my way as I walk, with my head held high. I even get more stares, now I'm available.

I stop at my locker and pull Chemistry and English from it. I close my locker and walk on to homeroom.

A few minutes later they walk in. She's laughing about something he says and he tries to kiss her.

They walk over to their tables, right before mine.

"Hey Sarah," she greets bubbly. I smile at her.

"Good morning," I say. Then I turn to him. He shots me a smile before taking his seat.

It's just a smile. Not a kiss, but a smile. But that smile is worth more than any kiss is. It stands for his happiness and me knowing I really did the right thing. Breaking up with him was hard, but she deserves him.

And frankly, just a smile is enough.

* * *

**A/N: Wow, I actually kind of like what I wrote here. For anyone who doesn't get it: it's in Sarah's POV. Sarah is Troy's (ex-)girlfriend. The him is of course Troy. And Gabriella is the her person. Oh, and yes, I'm sweetbutterflies, but I changed my penname. Ask Tragic Zander or Midnightazia why… The oneshot is kind of short though… Well, I hope you liked it. Don't forget to REVIEW!**

**- snortsalot**

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**Disclaimer: High School Musical and all of its characters belong to Disney. I only own Sarah and the plot.**


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